
Q&A: Counselor Education Graduate Student of the Year Natalie Behnke
Natalie Behnke, a second-year graduate student in the counselor education master’s program, was recognized for her dedication to counseling and potential to make a meaningful impact in the field.
At the Virginia School Counselor Association’s (VSCA) annual conference in October 2024, UVA School of Education and Human Development’s Natalie Behnke was named the 2024 Tamara E. Davis Graduate Student of the Year. This award recognizes an exceptional graduate student who has demonstrated excellence in their program of study, shown a deep passion for the field of school counseling, and who shows great potential.
In honor of 2025 National School Counseling Week, we asked Behnke to reflect on her experience and share her goals for the future.
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in school counseling?
Before moving to Virginia, I worked in public schools in Madison, Wisconsin. There, I worked alongside a remarkable interdisciplinary team of educators to combat the disparities in education between groups of students who receive ample resources and groups who have been historically and systemically underserved. This experience helped me realize that school counselors are uniquely positioned to advocate for the narrowing and dismantling of that gap.
Q: Why did you choose the UVA School of Education and Human Development for your master’s program?
The School Mental Health emphasis UVA offers was a huge draw for me. I believe adeptness in mental health support goes hand-in-hand with supporting students, and I appreciate the opportunity to pursue my LPC after graduation to expand the ways in which I can serve my community. I also chose UVA’s program because I believe deeply in the importance of gaining multiple perspectives in any professional or personal pursuit. Growing up and spending the first years of my career in the Midwest, I knew that I wanted to explore a regionally different education system to augment my learning as a future school counselor.
Q: How would you describe your experience in the counselor education program?
Above all, this program has enhanced my sense of self-awareness and practice of critical reflection. As a result of my engagement in classes, I believe that I’ve grown not just as a school mental health professional, but also as an advocate and a global citizen. I also attribute much of my development to my practicum and internship experiences through the program, which I was lucky enough to serve in local Charlottesville public schools.
Q: If you had to choose one thing that has had the greatest impact on your time at UVA, what would it be?
The most impactful factor of my time at UVA has been my cohort. I am immensely grateful to be surrounded by 20 other empathetic, creative, hilarious, and fiercely passionate humans every day. Our diverse backgrounds and lived experiences – and vulnerability in sharing those with one another – support my learning in indescribable ways and push me to serve students with the utmost fidelity and authenticity. I cannot wait to see what we do to keep shifting the educational landscape for the better.
Q: What do you think people should know or understand about school counseling?
I think the most important concept to know about school counseling is that the true role of a school counselor goes beyond what used to be known as guidance counseling. School counselors build strong, healthy rapport with students, work with educators and families to holistically support students, and oftentimes act as the first response when it comes to social-emotional conflicts or mental health challenges that students experience. Advocating for comprehensive student wellness and celebrating student-defined success is at the core of what it means to be a school counselor.
Q: How does it feel to be recognized with the VSCA award?
I feel so honored and astonished to be recognized with the VSCA award. I know there are so many hardworking, eager counseling students within and outside of UVA, and it’s a privilege to count myself among them. I’m excited to take my experiences and achievements that were recognized by this award and apply them in community with my future colleagues after graduation.
Q: What are your professional goals as a school counselor in the next few years?
My primary goal in the next few years is to establish strong relationships with my students, their families, and the staff at the school I’m hired into. One of the greatest joys of working in a school is being part of a community, and I’m excited to immerse myself in that. I also hope to stretch my leadership and advocacy skills to serve students in ways that deconstruct oppressive systems and honor all intersectional identities.
Become a School Counselor
The M.Ed. in Counselor Education program prepares you to become a school counselor in the K-12 setting. Graduates are leaders, advocates, collaborators, and systematic change agents in schools.
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